Patient preparation and implantation of dental implants may be accomplished in different ways. For example, one method uses a radiographic template made to fit to the patient's teeth. Radiographic markers are attached to this template. Another method, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,777 to Klein, uses a plastic replica of the prospective teeth to be supported by dental implants. This is a time consuming process since a dental laboratory technician must set or carve teeth to fit in the ideal position for a given patient. The patient is then scanned with the radiographic template, preferably using computed tomography (CT). If the patient has teeth that will be removed at the time of implant placement it is difficult to image these areas since the teeth are still present and frequently radiographic scatter makes it difficult to determine the actual shape of the teeth. It is also difficult to position the template in a predictable position after the teeth are removed. Yet other methods have been revealed that require the patient's teeth to be removed first and removable dentures made. The NobelGuide™ (Nobel Biocare) system uses this technique. After healing, radiographic markers are placed in the dentures and the patient is imaged using CT. A second scan of the patient's denture is made of the denture alone and then the radiographic markers are used to align the two CT scans in the same computer space. This system allows for planning of the dental implant position in relation to the patient's denture and the supporting bone but it does not allow for planning the shape of the bone if reshaping is needed to have adequate space for restorative materials or to have the proper ridge form for the dental implant. It also requires the patient to wear removable dentures and many patients would prefer to have their teeth removed, implants placed and artificial teeth attached to the implants all during one surgical procedure. This system also does not allow for changes in the position of the artificial teeth after the denture has been imaged.
Thus, there is a need for an improved method of imaging a patient and planning for implant placement that provides for the virtual extraction of teeth to determine the shape of remaining bone, virtual positioning of artificial teeth that are in harmony with the patient, virtual shaping the remaining bone to provide proper space and form for restorative materials, and virtual positioning implants in relation to the remaining bone. There is also a need for a method of communicating this information easily to the surgeon, restorative dentist and laboratory. It is also desirable that changes can be made in the virtual plan such that the surgeon, restorative dentist or laboratory can modify the treatment plan as needed. Furthermore, it is desirable that surgical templates and artificial teeth be manufactured using computer technology to insure precise and predictable results with minimal manual labor. Finally, there is a need that the process allows for the creation of surgical guides, artificial immediate dentures and immediate load prosthesis prior to surgery and with a system that allows for precise orientation of the immediate load prosthesis at the time of tooth removal and implant placement.
The systems and methods of this disclosure address one or more of the shortcomings in the prior art.